Rally for Democracy in Halifax Brings Out Over 500 People – Photos Available

Media Release: For Immediate Release March 5th, 2025

Latest estimates at a rally for provincial democracy today in Halifax put over 500 people in attendance. Photos of today’s rally can be obtained by emailing us at Media@sierraclub.ca

“What we are witnessing here in Nova Scotia is alarmingly similar to what happened in the U.S., the concentration of power in the hands of a few people on behalf of corporate interests and the erosion of accountability measures,” says Gretchen Fitzgerald, National Programs Director with Sierra Club Canada.

“People today made it clear, we won’t stand by and let Nova Scotia go down that path. Clean air, clean water and healthy ecosystems are needed more than ever and wonderful to see so many people standing united to protect them.”

For context:

A rally for democracy took place today, Wednesday March 5th, in Halifax. The rally follows a series of concerningly authoritarian U.S.-style measures being attempted by the Government of Nova Scotia under Premier Tim Houston. These attempted measures, which would make government less accountable to people, include:

  • Making it harder to find out what the government is up to via access to information requests.
  • Making it impossible to propose amendments at a government committee formerly called Law Amendments.
  • Limiting media access to elected leaders.
  • Giving the government the power to fire civil servants without cause. 
  • Lifting bans on fracking and uranium mining (without consulting the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs) – protections adopted after consultation and engagement with Nova Scotians and backed by health and economic research.
  • Giving the government the power to appoint 50% of the Board of Governors of Nova Scotia universities and requiring universities to align their funding priorities with that of the government: a threat to the independence of academic institutions in the province.

All this comes after moves to enable the government to fire the Auditor General without cause and to hide the Auditor’s findings from the public were yanked last week.

It’s the same approach we are seeing in the U.S. itself to centralizing power and is reminiscent of the approach of the Government in Alberta as well.

The rally will took place at Province House, 1726 Hollis Street.

There were several other co-hosting organizations for the event including CUPE Nova Scotia, the South Shore Chapter of the Council of Canadians, and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. 

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For more information or to arrange interviews please contact: Media@sierraclub.ca

Nova Scotia Democracy Rally photo of crowdAn important note on referencing the Sierra Club Canada Foundation that there are three distinct Sierra Clubs: Sierra Club (in the United States), Sierra Club BC (in British Columbia), and the Sierra Club Canada Foundation (operating nationally in Canada).

While we often work together, these organizations are all separate legal entities with separate management, financial structures, and boards. To be accurate, you should refer to our organization in articles or other coverage using the title “Sierra Club Canada” or the “Sierra Club Canada Foundation.” Our organization, the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, also contains five chapters: Sierra Club Ontario, Sierra Club Québec, Sierra Club Atlantic Canada, Sierra Club Prairie, and Sierra Youth (which is nationwide).